1. Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports Acknowledgement Systems
Northwest AEA
Jerome Schaefer
November, 2009

2. Major portions of the following material were developed by: George Sugai and Rob Horner
OSEP Funded Technical Assistance Center
In conjunction with
The Iowa Department of Education

3. Establishing a School-wide Discipline System
Define School-wide Behavioral Expectations
Teach School-wide Behavioral Expectation
Monitor and Acknowledge Appropriate Behavior
Use a Continuum of Consequences for Inappropriate Behavior

4. Goals
Understand the Rationale for Developing a School-Wide Acknowledgement System
Develop School-Wide System for Acknowledging Students Engaged in Appropriate Behaviors.
Identify Strategies to Encourage use of Positive Rewards in Classroom and Non-Classroom Settings.

5. School-wide Acknowledgement Systems: Rationale
Focuses staff and student attention on desired behaviors (expectations)
Increases the likelihood that desired behaviors will be repeated

6. School-wide Acknowledgement Systems: Rationale
Fosters a positive school climate
Reduces the need for time consuming disciplinary measures, increasing student time involved in instruction and on-task

7. Remember. . .
The key to SW-PBS is that our behavior as adults must change to change student behavior.

8. Social and Academic Behaviors/Skills are Learned and Taught in the Same Manner
Teach new behaviors are taught by explanation, modeling, practice, and feedback
New behaviors become durable with practice and feedback
Behaviors become useful when effective & relevant for the student
Correct behaviors are taught and strengthened to replace error behaviors

9. From Tricks to Systems
First, increase availability, adoption, & sustained use of validated practices
Then, use what we know about behavior of the individual to affect behavior & organization of communities
Biglan, 1995

10. School-wide Acknowledgement Systems: Guidelines
Keep it simple
The system should be for all students
Make sure that rewards reflect the interests of the students (Ask them!)
Students should be eligible to earn rewards throughout the day contingent upon appropriate behavior

11. School-wide Acknowledgement Systems: Guidelines
Plan for increased reinforcement after teaching expectations
Increase reinforcement before difficult times
Deliver reinforcement unpredictably (you never know when you will get a surprise!) – but consistently
Refrain from using the loss of rewards as a strategy for motivating desired behaviors…earned = kept

12. School-wide Acknowledgement Systems: Guidelines
Provide staff with opportunities to recognize students in common areas who are not in their classes
Encourage staff to reinforce students and students to earn the rewards
Share data with staff
Teach behavioral principles of reinforcement to all staff

13. Principles of Reinforcement: Why Use Positive Reinforcement?
Effective and evidence-based
Teaches new skills
Punishment alone is ineffective
Leads to long term/lasting change
Motivates and engages youth, staff, and families
More positive environment
This would be a time to talk about the resistance regarding reinforcers.
Alfie Kohn – no research
Articles – Intrinsic/Extrinsic rewards
Five positive to 1 negative

14. Behavioral Principle -Reinforcement
Consequence events influence likelihood of future behavior occurrences

15. Reinforcement: Positive
Behaviors that are followed by
Pleasing/reinforcing events are more likely to occur in future
Most people find common consequence outcomes, objects, & events to be pleasing/reinforcing
E.g., money, social contact, smiles, applause, recreation, escape or avoidance of tedious task, food, praise, academic/vocational success

16. Reinforcement: Positive
Most individuals find both external & internal events to be pleasing/reinforcing
E.g., positive self-statements, relief from discomfort, hunger satisfaction, tension release, etc.
Some people require more (or less) externally-provided pleasing/reinforcing events to maintain their efforts

17. . . . are acquired, take many forms, and are individually effective
Reinforcers. . .
. . . are acquired, take many forms, and
are individually effective

18. Reinforcers
Most social & tangible objects & events are initially neutral but become reinforcing/rewarding by being associated with other already reinforcing/rewarding objects & events
Reinforcers can be any object or event
“What is reinforcing/rewarding/pleasing” is affected by learning history, culture, community, etc.

19. Reinforcement Wisdom!
‘Knowing’ or saying ‘know’ does NOT mean ‘will do’
Students ‘do more’ when ‘doing works’…appropriate & inappropriate
Natural consequences are varied, unpredictable, undependable,…not always preventive
Err on side of being positive

20. Activity
Individually, look over the handout for Acknowledgement Systems: Activity One at the back of your packet.
Identify personal reinforcers for the activities listed.
Share with members of your group.
How many are intrinsic?
How many are extrinsic?

21. Developing Positive Environments
Formal & frequent use of positive rewards/reinforcers for appropriate student behavior contributes to development of environments that are described as positive, caring, safe, facilitating, etc.

22. Incentives You were seen You have exhibited exemplary Dexter PRIDE
Exhibiting Dexter PRIDE
This entitles you to a “Leave 5 minutes early for breakfast pass”.
____________________________
Given by ____________________________
You have exhibited exemplary Dexter PRIDE
This entitles you to a “Free Car Wash”. See Mr. Gomez to set up an appointment
____________________________
Given by ____________________________
Samples from other schools
Dexter High School: Dexter, NM

23. Incentives

25. Student's Name__________
observer's
initials
Student's Name__________
This student was noticed being: (mark all that apply)
Parent's Signature
_______________
Date______ C a r e s
considerate
accountable
respectful
enthusiastic
safe
White Mt. Intermediate: Ruidoso, NM

26. P.A.W.S. Rewards Program 2 tickets: candy treat
first in line for lunch
10 tickets:
15 min. computer time
lunch with an adult
video for the weekend
earn back Wolverine letter
50 tickets (whole class):
popcorn party
extra 30 minute recess
30 minute video
was caught following the P.A.W.S. guidelines.
P = Please listen
A = Always be prepared
W = Work/act responsibly
S =Show respect
Caught by:

27. Acknowledgement: School Example
Tickets given out by all staff to students found meeting school-wide expectations
When a student is observed following the school-wide expectation, circle it on the buck and acknowledge the student for the appropriate behavior observed
Write the students name on the buck
Sign and date the buck in order to prevent theft
Only BLUE BUCKS are given by substitute teachers and are worth two points
Bucks should not be taken away from students once they are earned

28. School Example: Prizes for Weekly Drawings
1st in line for lunch (gets to leave class 2 minutes early)
Free pop
Snack from vending machine
Open Campus for you and a friend for lunch (with parent signatures)
Free entry to a home sporting event
Preferred parking for a week

29. More Examples: Prizes for Weekly Drawings
Cougar Traits t-shirt
Cougar Traits Lanyard
Free homework assignment (not on a major project or test)
Free piece of pizza from Casey’s (donated ½)
Free video rental (donated by local store)
Free gas from Casey’s (we purchased in 2.00 coupons)
Percentage off a haircut or product at local salons (donated) 

30. Sample Secondary Rewards
Business Donations for Monthly Raffle
10 minutes early to lunch
Duffle Bags with School Logo
Hamburger Cook Out with Karaoke
Once a Year - One Day Workshop designated to improve student character & Life Skills
Ask participants for ideas
Could be a good time for a group ‘brainstorming’ activity

31. Still More School Examples
“A, B, C” dances each grading period
School bucks to use in a school store on a regular basis (weekly)
“Caught Being Good” certificates
Weekly lottery drawings
Positive parent telephone contacts
Positive office referrals
Coupons (homework, tardy, athletic event ticket)
Extra P.E.
Extra art
Extra music
No homework coupon (use with caution)
Earned activity period for a preferred activity
Early release pass

32. Cougar Traits in the Community Student Name __________________________________ Displayed the Cougar Trait of: Respect Responsibility Caring Citizenship (Circle the trait you observed) Signature _____________________________________________ If you would like to write on the back the details of what you observed feel free! Thank you for supporting our youth.

33. To build staff moral we began recognizing the positive things we were seeing among the adults in our building.

34. Acknowledgement Systems for Adults

35. Acknowledgement System: Team Action Planning
Brainstorm ideas for your acknowledgement system: Use Acknowledgement System Activity 2 as a reference
Consider…
What will you expect of your school staff regarding acknowledgement of students?
How will you involved students in developing your acknowledgement system?
Training of staff
Training of substitutes and volunteers.
Create a permanent product that describes your system - add this to your PBIS Products Book
Key Point: Highlight for discussion

36. Reinforcement Rebellion
Why do educators rebel at use of positive acknowledgements (misrules)?
Use of extrinsic rewards will inhibit development of intrinsic motivation.
Students don’t need rewards & acknowledgements to do what’s right.
A strong, aversive natural consequence will get the message across.
Give them time, & maturity will kick in.
If they can’t do it on their own, they shouldn’t be in this course.
Any students who need me to tell them what’s right and wrong aren’t going to make it my class.
I teach biology. I don’t and shouldn’t have to teach respect and responsibility.
It’s obvious to me, just look at her family.
When I was his age, I had to do it all on my own….no breaks & privileges in my class.
Refer to Intrinsic/Extrinsic Reward article

37. Are Rewards Dangerous?
“…our research team has conducted a series of reviews and analysis of (the reward) literature; our conclusion is that there is no inherent negative property of reward. Our analyses indicate that the argument against the use of rewards is an overgeneralization based on a narrow set of circumstances.” Judy Cameron, 2002
“…programs that show increased intrinsic motivation are those programs that incorporate the elements of good, comprehensive behavioral intervention…”
Akin-Little, Little, Eckert, & Lovett, 2004
“The undermining effect of extrinsic reward on intrinsic motivation remains unproven” Steven Reiss, 2005
These are from articles that can be shared with group.

38. This study assessed how rewards impacted intrinsic motivation when students were rewarded for achievement while learning an activity, for performing at a specific level on a test, or for both. Undergraduate university students engaged in a problem-solving activity. The design was a 2 × 2 factorial with 2 levels of reward in a learning phase (reward for achievement, no reward) and 2 levels of reward in a test phase (reward for achievement, no reward). Intrinsic motivation was measured as time spent on the experimental task and ratings of task interest during a free-choice period. A major finding was that achievement-based rewards during learning or testing increased participants' intrinsic motivation. A path analysis indicated that 2 processes (perceived competence and interest-internal attribution) mediated the positive effects of achievement-based rewards in learning and testing on intrinsic motivation. Findings are discussed in terms of the cognitive evaluation, attribution, and social-cognitive theories. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved)

39. “What the Worlds Greatest Managers Do Differently”
“What the Worlds Greatest Managers Do Differently” Buckingham & Coffman 2002, Gallup Interviews with 1 million workers, 80,000 managers, in 40 companies.
Create working environments where employees:
Know what is expected
Have the materials and equipment to do the job correctly
Receive recognition each week for good work
Have a supervisor who cares, and pays attention
Receive encouragement to contribute and improve

40. “What the Worlds Greatest Managers Do Differently”
Can identify a person at work who is a “best friend”
Feel the mission of the organization makes them feel like their jobs are important
See the people around them committed to doing a good job
Feel like they are learning new things (getting better)
Have the opportunity to do their job well

41. Create learning environments where students and staff
Know what is expected
Have the materials and equipment to do the job correctly
Receive recognition each week for good work
Have a teacher who cares, and pays attention
Receive encouragement to contribute and improve

42. Create learning environments where students
Can identify a person at school who is a “best friend”
Feel the mission of the school makes them feel like their jobs are important
See the people around them committed to doing a good job
Feel like they are learning new things (getting better)
Have the opportunity to do their job well

43. Acknowledgement Systems: Team Activity:
Working in pairs, take turns asking and answering the questions on the Acknowledgement Systems: Activity Three handout (i.e., one team member reads a question and another answers it- then switch roles!)
Keep a quick pace. After reading and answering a question, members can respond with a short statement if desired. Remember to keep responses brief and keep moving!
When you have finished, take 5 minutes as a group and discuss your responses to the information presented.

44. School-wide Acknowledgement Systems: Challenges
Remaining focused on the positive
Providing meaningful rewards
Maintaining consistency with all staff
Tracking your reward system
Keeping it interesting and exciting for staff and students
Remembering that what reinforces one student will not necessarily work for others - not all kids will “buy in”

45. School-wide Acknowledgement Systems: Solutions
Keep ratios of reinforcement to correction high (5:1 minimum)
Gather input from students
Train staff on use of rewards and prompt and review often
Develop data-based system for monitoring and documenting appropriate behaviors
Use reward “menus” so students can gain preferred options
Develop targeted interventions for those displaying chronic behavior problems

46. Summary Acknowledging Appropriate Behavior is part of PBIS Practices
Acknowledging appropriate behavior is simply following the basic behavioral principle of reinforcement
Developing a School-Wide Acknowledgement System supports the practice
Involve staff and students in developing our Acknowledgement System
Staff will need some training and guidelines
Not all staff will participate immediately
Define Strategies to support and acknowledge desired adult behavior